Last minute Restaurant Cancelations with kids

Indy_UK

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Just curious,

We plan to book a few sit down meals on our upcoming trip but if forever reason we get to a point day where our son is struggling (learning difficulties) and decide we can't attend, are we still charged the no-show fee?
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
You have three options to avoid the no-show fee on the day of your reservation.

1. Visit guest services and explain your situation. They can usually cancel for you and waive the $10/person fee.

2. Visit the restaurant at least an hour beforehand and do the above.

3. Call Disney dining. This is least preferable because hold/wait times can be very long.

You can cancel online up to 23:59 pm and avoid the fee for the next day.

Note that the fee will not show up on your room folio but will on your credit card statement.

Also, I saw your post in another thread regarding Minnie Vans. Pre-pandemic, Minnie Vans only traveled off-property as far as MCO. They did not go to Port Everglades (for cruises) or Vero Beach. Not sure if the policy will be the same once service resumes, but likely since Vero Beach is about a 90 minute drive from WDW.
 

Indy_UK

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
You have three options to avoid the no-show fee on the day of your reservation.

1. Visit guest services and explain your situation. They can usually cancel for you and waive the $10/person fee.

2. Visit the restaurant at least an hour beforehand and do the above.

3. Call Disney dining. This is least preferable because hold/wait times can be very long.

You can cancel online up to 23:59 pm and avoid the fee for the next day.

Note that the fee will not show up on your room folio but will on your credit card statement.

Also, I saw your post in another thread regarding Minnie Vans. Pre-pandemic, Minnie Vans only traveled off-property as far as MCO. They did not go to Port Everglades (for cruises) or Vero Beach. Not sure if the policy will be the same once service resumes, but likely since Vero Beach is about a 90 minute drive from WDW.

Thank you so much for your detailed replies. I guess if it was a case of having to leave a park early and miss a reservation then we could just pop to guest services as we are leaving.
 

Queen of the WDW Scene

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
Sounds like you anticipate this may happen.

My suggestion would be to either avoid planning sit down restaurant meals or at least making them for earlier in the day since your post seems to indicate that he may struggle the longer you're there.

And if this situation does arise then I would recommend that you go directly to the restaurant and explain to the hostess.
But there are no guarantees that they will waive the fee for not cancelling in the appropriate amount of time.
 

Queen of the WDW Scene

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
Yeah current plan is to eat at 5pm for all evening meals to help prevent any issues

I'd recommend making lunch be your sit down meal of the day.
There tends to be more reservations readily available during lunch hours making it easier to get the exact location and time you want.
Plus this way if you have to leave the park early you can easily grab something at your resort's quick service. for dinner.
 

Patcheslee

Well-Known Member
Thank you so much for your detailed replies. I guess if it was a case of having to leave a park early and miss a reservation then we could just pop to guest services as we are leaving.
I ended up talking to someone at the front desk of our hotel due to DH being ill. They were able to cancel without penalty as well for me.
 

MattH20

Member
I'd recommend making lunch be your sit down meal of the day.
There tends to be more reservations readily available during lunch hours making it easier to get the exact location and time you want.
Plus this way if you have to leave the park early you can easily grab something at your resort's quick service. for dinner.
We’ve opted for this approach also. Really wanted to get some 5pm meals booked in but we felt that we were relying too heavily on a whole day going according to plan for that to happen without causing stress. Flip side is that this strategy prevents us deciding to just sit by the pool all through lunch time. We are actually considering only keeping a select few of our sit down meal bookings for this reason.
 

Club Cooloholic

Well-Known Member
We’ve opted for this approach also. Really wanted to get some 5pm meals booked in but we felt that we were relying too heavily on a whole day going according to plan for that to happen without causing stress. Flip side is that this strategy prevents us deciding to just sit by the pool all through lunch time. We are actually considering only keeping a select few of our sit down meal bookings for this reason.
We did less sit down meals this past trip. I agree with what others said, do an early lunch for some. I actually think booking 5pm dinners is hard to do, because if you do go back to the resort like we usually do, you don't have a lot of time before you have to go back. We usually eat later like 6:30 and this gives us more resort time. You can always stop by the restaurant before your reservation and cancel in person the day of the reservation. I have never been charged when I did that.
My final thought, I experienced and have read many others experiences where sit down dining took a lot longer than usual. Might be better to do more QSs...though I recommend buffets too if you want to control the timing more. Liberty Tree worked out great for us.
 
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Prince-1

Well-Known Member
Just curious,

We plan to book a few sit down meals on our upcoming trip but if forever reason we get to a point day where our son is struggling (learning difficulties) and decide we can't attend, are we still charged the no-show fee?

I‘ve had to cancel some dinner reservations last minute and never was charged a no-show fee by simply going to the restaurant or to my hotel’s front desk and explaining the situation to why I had to cancel. As long as you are respectful and do it before the reservation time hits you will be fine.
 

DisneyfanMA

Well-Known Member
We did less sit down meals this past trip. I agree with what others said, do an early lunch for some. I actually think booking 5pm dinners is hard to do, because if you do go back to the resort like we usually do, you don't have a lot of time before you have to go back. We usually eat later like 6:30 and this gives us more resort time. You can always stop by the restaurant before your reservation and cancel in person the day of the reservation. I have never been charged when I did that.
My final thought, I experienced and have read many others experiences where sit down dining took a lot longer than usual. Might be better to do more QSs...though I recommend buffets too if you want to control the timing more. Liberty Tree worked out great for us.


I wanted to book 1 sit down per park day, mainly to get off our feet and catch our breath/go into the AC. We have children (6, 8, 10) and are off property, so we will NOT be leaving mid day. This is our respite.

Even with my success using dining alerts I'm actually happy we were forced to do a mix of noonish lunches (some late ~ 2:50PM EST) and early dinners (5pm). I was merely happy to see a place I wanted and grabbed it, sometimes horse trading up later for a better time slot. I think it will be nice to have a mix. A friend who went with kids said you must eat by 5pm, as they will simply not make it later than that without food or sitting down. We plan to supplement our day with QS and or a snack here or there. I suspect a sit down with reservation is going to take us between 60 and 90 minutes start to finish including waiting to be seated etc. Totally fine with it.
 
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Club Cooloholic

Well-Known Member
I wanted to book 1 sit down per park day, mainly to get off our feet and catch our breath/go into the AC. We have children (6, 8, 10) and are off property, so we will NOT be leaving mid day. This is our respite.

Even with my success using dining alerts I'm actually happy we were forced to do a mix of noonish lunches (some late ~ 2:50PM EST) and early dinners (5pm). I was merely happy to see a place I wanted and grabbed it, sometimes horse trading up later for a better time slot. I think it will be nice to have a mix. A friend who went with kids said you must eat by 5pm, as they will simply not make it later than that without food or sitting down. We plan to supplement our day with QS and or a snack here or there.
Oh for sure, if staying off property I understand not wanting to leave. I guess it's just harder now too. The way the system works, Disney wants you there so early if you want to get the most out of it. One might say that was always the case, but back in the day when MK had much later hours I felt like there were 3 kinds of crowds, morning crowds that were done by 6 or 7 and back to the hotel. Afternoon crowds, that would get there later and stay till closing. And of course the Park Commandos who would be there from open to close. But with MK often closing much earlier(6pm today????) you really can't get there later and expect there to be any lulls in crowds.
Good luck with your group! Remember too, that sometimes "boring" attractions, like the Tiki Birds are just what tired legs need.
 

DisneyfanMA

Well-Known Member
Totally agree. We will be there for reg park opening (~9 am) and hope to stay til close. It will be pushing it for say MK at 10pm, but we are absolutely not missing the nighttime fireworks show which I think is at 9 anyway. We're off property so early arrival/extra hours are off the table anyway not too mention our kids couldn't do it. We'll play things by year with the kids. I am trying to convince myself not to get too manic about riding every ride and seeing everything there is, you simply can't. Add 3 elementary aged kids into the mix and forget it. Just enjoy the day as things unfold and try to keep the kids happy and from melting down.
 

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